Air vent

ABSTRACT

An air vent ( 10 ), in particular for vehicle ventilation, comprising a frame ( 12 ), a first vane system ( 18 ) mounted for pivoting movement about a first axis in the frame ( 12 ), and a second vane system ( 20 ) mounted for pivoting movement about a second axis in the frame ( 12 ), comprises a common operating element ( 28 ) for pivoting the vane systems ( 18, 20 ), which has a slider ( 26 ) mounted on a vane ( 22 ) of the first vane system ( 18 ), and a connecting element ( 38 ) cardanically coupled to the slider ( 26 ), the connecting element ( 38 ) being coupled to a vane ( 24 ) of the second vane system ( 20 ) by means of a slotted guide, wherein the connecting element ( 38 ) is configured so as to have the shape of a fork and in that the slotted guide is formed by two parallel grooves ( 48 ) realized on either side of the vane ( 24 ) and by two pins ( 44 ) provided on the inner side of the fork ends ( 42 ) of the connecting element ( 38 ).

The invention relates to an air vent, in particular for vehicle ventilation, comprising a frame, a first vane system mounted for pivoting movement about a first axis in the frame, and a second vane system mounted for pivoting movement about a second axis in the frame, a common operating element being provided for pivoting the vane systems, which has a slider mounted on a vane of the first vane system, and a connecting element cardanically coupled to the slider, the connecting element being coupled to a vane of the second vane system by means of a slotted guide.

Air vents for vehicle ventilation comprise two pivoting vane systems in order to be adapted to adjust the direction of an air flow flowing into the vehicle interior. Each vane system has a plurality of vanes which are arranged parallel to each other and are each coupled to each other, such that they can be pivoted jointly. The operation takes place for both vane systems via a common operating element which comprises a slider mounted for sliding movement on the first vane system which faces the vehicle interior, and a connecting element which is cardanically connected with the operating element and is coupled to the second vane system which in a viewing direction from the vehicle interior to the first vane system is arranged behind the latter. Usually, the connecting element has a slotted guide coupled to the second vane system, the slotted guide being formed by a slot provided in a vane of the second ventilation system. In the region of the slotted guide, the vane is reduced to a narrow web by the slot, the stability of the vane being thereby considerably weakened. To obtain a sufficient stability of the vane, a certain width of this web is necessary which can be realized only by means of a broader configuration of the vanes of the second vane system. This however increases the installation depth of the air vent.

The object of the invention is to provide an air vent of the type initially mentioned, which has a smaller installation depth and an increased stability of the vanes.

According to the invention, an air vent is provided to this end, in particular for vehicle ventilation, comprising a frame, a first vane system mounted for pivoting movement about a first axis in the frame, and a second vane system mounted for pivoting movement about a second axis in the frame. A common operating element is provided for pivoting the vane systems, which has a slider mounted on a vane of the first vane system, and a connecting element cardanically coupled to the slider, the connecting element being coupled to a vane of the second vane system by means of a slotted guide. The connecting element is configured so as to have the shape of a fork, and the slotted guide is formed by two parallel grooves realized on either side of the vane and by two pins provided on the inner side of the fork ends of the connecting element. The connecting element encloses the vane by means of the two fork ends and is guided along the vane by pins that engage the grooves. The stability of the vane therefore largely remains unchanged, as the vane is not divided and weakened by a slot. The slotted guide can be formed over the entire length of the vane so that the length of the vanes and thus the installation depth can be reduced.

For a better guiding of the connecting element along the vane of the second vane system, the connecting element is preferably provided with two guiding elements each resting on a side face of the vane. The connecting element rests on the vane via the guiding elements and the pins so that they form a lever to pivot the vane. As the connecting element rests on the vane only at certain points, wear traces such as scratches for example can be reduced or avoided considerably.

For example, the guiding elements can be realized by two projections provided on the inner side of the fork. The guiding elements does not project from the fork so that a catching in other components is reliably prevented.

To avoid the insertion of the guiding elements, which are configured as projections, into the groove of the slotted guide, the cross-section of the projections is preferably larger than the cross-section of the groove. A jamming of the operating element is therefore reliably prevented.

Usually, the vanes are configured so as to be drop-shaped in flow direction. This means that the thickness of the vane increases towards the middle of the vane. To prevent the guiding elements from being jammed at a thicker point of the vane or from having too much play at a thinner point of the vane, the groove preferably has a varying depth. The depth of the groove is configured such that the fork of the connecting element is expanded by the pins sliding in the groove such that the guiding elements arranged at the inner side of the fork are always guided at the same distance from the side face of the vane.

Ideally, the groove is configured so as to be convex. Due to a groove which is configured so as to be convex and parallel to the contact area of the guiding elements on the side face of the vane, a constant good contact of the guiding elements is ensured.

The connecting element can have a web which is arranged between the fork faces and adjoins a guiding surface provided on the vane. The connecting element rests on the vane via the guiding surface, so that it is reliably guided between the first vane system and the second vane system.

Preferably, the guiding surface is the edge of the vane which faces the operating element. The connecting element rests on the latter and is therefore reliably held between the operating element and the vane of the second vane system.

The guiding surface is configured so as to be curved, for example, the curvature being configured such that the distance between the slider on the first vane and the guiding surface is constant irrespective of the position of the slider or of the first vane system. Therefore, the connecting element is reliably guided and held between the slider and the guiding surface.

Preferably, the grooves each extend up to an edge of the vane, in particular to the edge of the vane which faces the operating element. Therefore, when the air vent is mounted, the operating element can simply be slid from the front side onto the vane of the second vane system.

The grooves can for example be configured such that at least some sections are straight. It is however also conceivable that depending on the installation conditions, the grooves are configured so as to be partially curved.

Further advantages and features will be apparent from the description below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an air vent according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the vane system of the air vent of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows the connecting element of the air vent of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a detail view of the second vane system of the air vent of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows a second perspective view of the second vane system of the air vent of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view through the vent in the area of the groove,

FIG. 7 shows a partial sectional view of the air vent of FIG. 1,

FIG. 8 shows a second partial sectional view of the air vent of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 9 shows a third partial sectional view of the air vent of FIG. 1.

The air vent 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a frame 12 defining an air guiding channel, a cover 14 which can form part of the vehicle interior lining, for example, and an adjusting knurl 16 which is coupled to a shutoff flap so that the air flow of the air vent 10 can be regulated. A first vane system 18 and a second vane system 20 are arranged in the frame 12. The first vane system 18 which in the present case faces the vehicle interior, has a plurality of vanes 22 which are arranged parallel to each other and extend horizontally in the mounted state of the air vent 10. The vanes 24 of the second vane system 20, which in the present is arranged behind the first vane system 18, are arranged perpendicularly to the vanes 22 of the first vane system. An operating element 28 is mounted on a vane 22 of the first vane system 18 to adjust the vane systems 18, 20.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the vanes 22 of the first vane system 18 are pivotally mounted in the frame 12 in two parallel support frames 30, only one of which is illustrated here. The vanes are coupled to each other via a coupling element 32 so that they can be pivoted jointly. The vanes 24 of the second vane system 20 are mounted for vertical pivoting movement in two opposite support frames 34 and are connected with each other via a coupling element 36.

The operating element 28 comprises a slider 26 and a connecting element 38. The slider 26 has a recess 40 by means of which the slider 26 is mounted on a vane 22 for shifting movement in the direction of the vanes 22 of the first vane system 18. The connecting element 38 is arranged between the first vane system 18 and the second vane system 20 and comprises a joint 41 by means of which the connecting element is cardanically connected with the slider 26 (cf. FIG. 3). The second end of the connecting element 38, which faces away from the first vane system 18 is configured so as to be fork-shaped, a web 43 being provided between the two fork ends 42. A pin 44 is respectively provided on the inner side of the fork ends 42. Furthermore, the inner side of the fork is provided with respective guiding elements 46 which in the present case are configured as projections.

Both sides of a vane 24 of the second vane system 20 are provided with grooves 48 (FIG. 4) which extend parallel to each other and up to the front edge of the vane 24, which faces the connecting element 38. The front side of the vane 24 is furthermore provided with a guiding surface 50 which in the present case is configured so as to be convex.

The fork-shaped end of the connecting element 38 is slid so far onto the vane 24 that the web 43 rests on the guiding surface 50 on the front side of the vane 24 (FIG. 5). The pins 44 of the connecting element 38 engage the grooves 48 and are guided therein, and the guiding elements 46 each rest on a side face of the vane. It is also conceivable that the guiding elements 46 have a minimum distance from the vane 24. In this position, the connecting element 38 is securely held between the slider 26 and the second vane system 20 and can be pivoted in the horizontal direction about the pins 44 or can be displaced on the vane in the direction of the grooves 48.

In case of a vertical movement of the slider 26, the slider 26 has the function of a lever to vertically pivot the vanes 22 of the first vane system 18 and therefore to be adapted to divert the air flow in the vertical direction.

In case the slider in displaced on the vane 22 in the horizontal direction, the operating element 28 serves as a lever via the connecting element 38 which rests on the vane 24 with the pin 44 and the guiding elements 46, in order to pivot the second vane system 20 in the horizontal direction, whereby the air flow is diverted in the horizontal direction. As the connecting element 38 rests on the vane 24 only at certain points, it is possible to considerably reduce or completely avoid wear traces on the vane 24 such as scratches, for example. In order to further increase the free movement of the air vent, the groove or the guiding surface can be polished, for example, so that the friction between the vane 24 and the connecting element is further reduced.

In order to prevent the guiding elements 46 from being inserted into the groove 48, the guiding elements 46 have a larger cross-section than the groove 48. A jamming of the operating element 28 due to the guiding elements 46 in the groove 48 is therefore reliably prevented.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the vanes 24 are configured so as to be drop-shaped. Here, the groove 48 has a depth T which varies in the direction R of the groove 48. Upon movement of the connecting element 38 in the groove 48, the fork ends 42 are expanded by the pins 44 guided in the groove 48 or can be moved closer together in case the groove is configured deeper, the respective distance of the guiding elements 46 from each other being thereby also changed. The depth T of the groove 48 is realized such that the respective distance of the guiding elements 46 from the drop-shaped vane 24 is constant irrespective of the position of the connecting element 38, so that a constant good contact between the guiding elements 46 and the vane 24 is ensured. The guiding elements 46 can contact the vane 24 or can be guided at a minimum distance from the vane 24.

As illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, which show the different orientations of the first vane system 18, the connecting element 38, irrespective of the position of the first vane systems 18, has a constant good contact by means of the guiding elements 46 and the slotted guide formed by the groove 48 and the pins 44.

Here, the grooves 48 are configured to be straight and extend from the edge of the vane 24 which faces the operating element, approximately up to the opposite edge of the vane 24. If in this case the slotted guide were configured as a slot, a sufficient stability of the vane 24 would no longer be ensured. Therefore, due to the configuration of the slotted guide as a groove 48 on the vane 24, a considerably smaller installation depth can be realized. 

1. An air vent (10), in particular for vehicle ventilation, comprising a frame (12), a first vane system (18) mounted for pivoting movement about a first axis in the frame (12), and a second vane system (20) mounted for pivoting movement about a second axis in the frame (12), a common operating element (28) being provided for pivoting the vane systems (18, 20), which has a slider (26) mounted on a vane (22) of the first vane system (18), and a connecting element (38) cardanically coupled to the slider (26), the connecting element (38) being coupled to a vane (24) of the second vane system (20) by means of a slotted guide, wherein the connecting element (38) is configured so as to have the shape of a fork and in that the slotted guide is formed by two parallel grooves (48) realized on either side of the vane (24) and by two pins (44) provided on the inner side of the fork ends (42) of the connecting element (38).
 2. The air vent according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element (38) is provided with two guiding elements (46) each resting on a side face of the vane.
 3. The air vent according to claim 2, wherein the guiding elements (46) are formed by projections provided on the inner side of the fork.
 4. The air vent according to claim 3, wherein the cross-section of the projections is larger than the cross-section of the groove (48).
 5. The air vent according to claim 1, wherein the groove (48) has a depth varying in the direction of the groove (48).
 6. The air vent according to claim 5, wherein the groove (48) is configured so as to be convex in the direction of the groove (48).
 7. The air vent according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element (38) comprises a web (43) which is arranged between the faces of the fork and rests on a guiding surface (50) provided on the vane.
 8. The air vent according to claim 7, wherein the guiding surface (50) is the edge of the vane (24) which faces the operating element (28).
 9. The air vent according to claim 2, wherein the guiding surface (50) is curved.
 10. The air vent according to claim 1, wherein the grooves each extend up to an edge of the vane (24), in particular to the edge of the vane which faces the operating element (28).
 11. The air vent according to claim 1, wherein the grooves (48) are configured at least partially in a straight line. 